Christmas 2014

I'll admit, I was a little nervous about how Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were going to go.  After all, it was the first time in my twenty-nine years where I was not at home in Bakersfield for all the Christmas festivities.  You see, ever since I was two, my parents have lived in the same house.  I was fortunate enough to grow up never having to move and all through college and my years in England and Grenada, we somehow found a way to come home for the holidays, that is, until this year.  I knew right when we signed the contract for residency here in Massachusetts that it would be unlikely that Josh and I would be home for Christmas.  Shockingly, he was actually off of work for Christmas day (the benefit of having some fellow residents who do not celebrate Christmas) but since that was his only day off, Ryan and I would not be leaving him for California.

And ya know what?

It was still okay.  Christmas was still a success.

I think part of growing up and having a family of your own IS starting new traditions and celebrating special occasions in a way that might have been different than before.  I mean, could I really plan to celebrate Christmas morning waking up at my parents house until I am 80?  Probably not.  Josh and I are so fortunate to have some amazing neighbors who invited us to their apartment across the hall for a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner.  Christian, Beata and their entire family were more than welcoming to us and we had a great evening enjoying all of the new and wonderful food.  I even baked a birthday cake for Jesus as is one of my family's Christmas Eve traditions.  We blended a little old with a little new.

Plus, because they live directly across the hall, I could put Ryan down at her (almost) normal bedtime, bring the monitor over and enjoy an adults only rest of the evening.  It was perfect.  Josh and I didn't stay too late because we I had to be Santa's Elf and put together an entire play kitchen and shopping cart.  And let me tell ya, those things take a long time.  We didn't get to bed until well past midnight.

But Christmas morning was perfect.  Ryan loves her kitchen and shopping cart and had so much fun opening all her presents.  I know she doesn't understand "Christmas" yet, but she definitely loved (and was a tad bit overwhelmed) by all her new toys.  I imagine by next year, Christmas morning will have a lot more magic for her.

I cooked a Christmas morning breakfast of Cinnamon rolls, Pillsbury style and we spent the rest of the day in our Christmas jammies, playing with Ryan's toys, napping, and enjoying each other's company.  It was a great Christmas and I look forward to many more with my little family.